U.S. patent application number 15/462908 was filed with the patent office on 2017-09-21 for emergency vehicle locator.
The applicant listed for this patent is Maxwell Joseph Breton. Invention is credited to Maxwell Joseph Breton.
Application Number | 20170270792 15/462908 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59855836 |
Filed Date | 2017-09-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170270792 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Breton; Maxwell Joseph |
September 21, 2017 |
Emergency Vehicle Locator
Abstract
A system for simultaneously displaying the locations of all
nearby emergency vehicles onto the same moving map as the current
location of another vehicle is described. Each emergency vehicle
receives location data from a GPS receiver and broadcasts the
location data using a Bluetooth or other transmitter. Other
vehicles receive location data corresponding to their own locations
using their own GPS receivers and each displays their own location
onto their own moving map display in the usual manner.
Additionally, the other vehicles also have Bluetooth or other
receivers which receive the local broadcasts containing emergency
vehicle locations and display the locations of all emergency
vehicles simultaneously with their own location. The operator of
the vehicle benefits by knowing the relative locations of the
emergency vehicles when they cannot be seen. Some emergency vehicle
operators may optionally choose to not broadcast their location
data under certain circumstances.
Inventors: |
Breton; Maxwell Joseph;
(Washington, DC) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Breton; Maxwell Joseph |
Washington |
DC |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
59855836 |
Appl. No.: |
15/462908 |
Filed: |
March 19, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62310792 |
Mar 20, 2016 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G08G 1/0965 20130101;
H04W 4/80 20180201; G01S 19/17 20130101; H04W 4/029 20180201; G08G
1/20 20130101; G01S 5/0072 20130101; G01S 19/14 20130101; G01C
21/3697 20130101; H04W 4/026 20130101; H04W 4/46 20180201; G01C
21/3667 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G08G 1/137 20060101
G08G001/137; H04W 4/04 20060101 H04W004/04; G01C 21/36 20060101
G01C021/36; H04W 4/00 20060101 H04W004/00 |
Claims
1. An emergency vehicle location system comprising: A first global
positioning system for determining said emergency vehicle's
location; A radio frequency transmitter for broadcasting said
emergency vehicle's location; A communications means for
communicating said emergency vehicle's location to said radio
frequency transmitter; A second global positioning system for
determining the location of a second vehicle; A radio frequency
receiver for receiving said broadcasting of said emergency
vehicle's location; A moving map display for displaying the
locations of said emergency vehicle and said second vehicle; A
second communications means for communicating the location of said
emergency vehicle to said moving map display.
2. An emergency vehicle location system according to claim 1
wherein said radio frequency transmitter transmits at least one
additional parameter from a list of parameters characterizing said
emergency vehicle and planned travel route.
3. An emergency vehicle location system according to claim 2
wherein said at least one additional parameter is the type of
emergency vehicle and said moving map additionally displays said
type of emergency vehicle.
4. An emergency vehicle location system according to claim 1
wherein the radio frequency transmitter is a Bluetooth transmitter
and the radio frequency receiver is a Bluetooth receiver.
5. An emergency vehicle location system according to claim 1
wherein the radio frequency transmitter communicates with a
cellular phone network and the radio frequency receiver
communicates with a cellular phone network.
6. An emergency vehicle location system according to claim 3
wherein the radio frequency transmitter is a Bluetooth transmitter
and the radio frequency receiver is a Bluetooth receiver.
7. An emergency vehicle location system according to claim 3
wherein the radio frequency transmitter communicates with a
cellular phone network and the radio frequency receiver
communicates with a cellular phone network.
8. An emergency vehicle location system according to claim 4
wherein the second global positioning system is installed on a
smart phone.
9. An emergency vehicle location system according to claim 4
wherein the second global positioning system is a portable system.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM
LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX
[0003] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention relates to displaying the location of
nearby emergency vehicles on GPS map displays in vehicles to
improve the situational awareness of drivers.
[0005] Drivers of vehicles often hear emergency vehicles but cannot
determine their locations in relation to their own vehicle.
Therefore drivers cannot immediately determine the best course of
action for avoiding the path of approaching emergency vehicles.
This can create a delay or safety hazard for both vehicles and for
drivers and passengers of nearby vehicles. Resulting confusion and
uncertainty also leads to less efficient traffic flow when
emergency vehicles are heard by a driver but not yet seen by the
driver.
[0006] Most drivers already have access to their physical location
based on GPS technology. Drivers of vehicles with built-in GPS
receivers and drivers with mobile phone or other mobile based GPS
receivers can see the locations of their vehicles on their moving
map displays but they cannot see the locations of emergency
vehicles on the same display, even when their presence is known
because of their audible sirens and flashing lights.
[0007] What is needed to improve traffic flow and safety is a low
cost vehicle system to simultaneously display the locations of
emergency vehicles onto the same moving map display that shows the
location of their vehicle. More specifically, there is a need for a
moving map display device showing the location of the driver's
vehicle and the relative locations of emergency vehicles operating
nearby. The existence of such a system would improve safety and
traffic flow efficiency.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A low-cost, GPS-based system for simultaneously displaying
the location of one's vehicle and nearby emergency vehicles on a
moving map display is described herein. This system is designed to
be low enough in cost and highly reliable, making it deployable in
large numbers in vehicles.
[0009] In one embodiment an emergency vehicle is equipped with a
GPS receiver for determining the emergency vehicle's current
location, a Bluetooth transmitting beacon for optionally
broadcasting the emergency vehicle's location wherein the optional
broadcast contains the current location data received from the
emergency vehicle's GPS receiver after a communications means
transfers the emergency vehicle's location data from the GPS
receiver to the Bluetooth beacon. The GPS receiver, communications
means, and Bluetooth beacon could all be housed in a single device
or could be located in separate, connected devices.
[0010] Another vehicle is equipped with a GPS receiver for
determining the vehicle's current location, a Bluetooth receiver
for receiving broadcasts from Bluetooth beacons of nearby emergency
vehicles containing the location information for those vehicles, a
moving map display and a communications means for communicating the
location information from both the GPS receiver and the received
Bluetooth broadcasts from emergency vehicles for display of all
vehicles on the same moving map. The GPS receiver, Bluetooth
receiver, moving map display, and communications means could all be
housed in a single device or could be located in separate,
connected devices.
[0011] In another embodiment, a smartphone or smartwatch is
equipped with a GPS receiver for determining one's current
location, a Bluetooth receiver for receiving broadcasts from nearby
emergency vehicles containing the location information for those
vehicles, a moving map display and communications means for
communicating the location information from both the GPS receiver
and the Bluetooth broadcasts for display of both on a moving
map.
[0012] Another embodiment is an asset tracking system for
monitoring the locations of assets or fleet vehicles. A cellular
phone network, satellite communications system, or other long range
communications means is used in place of the shorter range
Bluetooth transmitter/receiver of the emergency vehicle
embodiments.
[0013] Other embodiments are contemplated in which the specific
hardware configurations are chosen based on the specific
application requirements and cost considerations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a system for broadcasting the GPS based
location data of an emergency vehicle to Bluetooth receivers within
the associated Bluetooth receiving range.
[0015] FIG. 2 is an illustrative example showing the simultaneous
display of a vehicle's current location along with the location of
a nearby emergency vehicle on the same moving map display used for
vehicle navigation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1.
An emergency vehicle 50, e.g. a fire truck, an ambulance, or a
police car has an on-board Location Broadcasting System (LBS) 60
comprised of a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver 51, a
Bluetooth beacon 53, and a communication means 52. The GPS receiver
51 receives broadcasts from the GPS constellation 54 satellites in
the normal manner for this well-known technology and determines the
geo-location of the host emergency vehicle 50.
[0017] The communication means 52 transfers the location data from
the GPS receiver 51 to the Bluetooth beacon 53. The Bluetooth
beacon 53 broadcasts a radio signal containing identifying
information about the type of its host emergency vehicle, e.g. fire
truck, ambulance, or police car, and the location data from the GPS
receiver 51 throughout the local geographic area.
[0018] An arbitrary vehicle 59 employs a Dual Location Receiving
and Display System (DLRDS) 61. The DLRDS 61 is comprised of a
second GPS receiver 56, a Bluetooth receiver 55, a second
communication means 57, and a moving map display 58. The second GPS
receiver 56 receives broadcasts from the GPS constellation 54
satellites in the normal manner for this well-known technology and
determines the geo-location of the host vehicle 59. The Bluetooth
receiver 55 receives broadcasts from all Bluetooth beacons
installed on emergency vehicles in the local area, e.g. the
Bluetooth beacon 53 on the emergency vehicle 50.
[0019] As stated above, said Bluetooth beacon 53 broadcast contains
information about the type of emergency vehicle as well as the
location of the emergency vehicle 50. The second communication
means 57 communicates all received emergency vehicle type and
location information for emergency vehicles in the local area and
the host vehicle 59 location obtained from the GPS receiver 56 to
the moving map display 58.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 2, the moving map display 58
simultaneously displays the location and type of the emergency
vehicle 50 (FIG. 1) and location and types of any other emergency
vehicles in the local area that are broadcasting their locations as
well as the vehicle location indicator 4 associated with the host
vehicle 59 (FIG. 1). FIG. 2 shows that in this exemplary
embodiment, the vehicle 59 with an associated vehicle location
indicator 4 is traveling on H Street as indicated by the current
street indicator 7, it is 550 meters from its destination 11 as
shown by the distance to destination indicator 6, and that an
emergency vehicle 50 is located in front and to the right of the
vehicle 59 at about its 1:30 o'clock position. Furthermore, the
emergency vehicle 50, indicated on the moving map by the fire truck
emergency vehicle location indicator 1, is 600 m in distance from
the vehicle 59, as shown by the emergency vehicle distance
indicator 3. The emergency vehicle 50 is moving in the direction
shown on the moving map by the direction of emergency vehicle
indicator 2.
[0021] The present invention may be embodied in other specific
forms without departing from the spirit or essential
characteristics thereof. The embodiments described are therefore to
be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive,
the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims
rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which
come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are
therefore intended to be embraced therein.
* * * * *